CARLOS SLIM FOUNDATION PARTICIPATES IN GLOBAL HEALTH SUMMIT ORGANIZED BY THE FINANCIAL TIMES

The event brought together a dozen global health experts to discuss innovation and investment trends in Latin American health sector.

In addition to the Foundation, the event was attended by the Pan American Health Organization and the Ministry of Health of Mexico, as well as first level representatives of the private and academic sectors.

Miami, Florida, October 25th 2016 – Carlos Slim Foundation, represented by its General Director, Dr. Roberto Tapia-Conyer, participated in the Financial Times Latin America Healthcare and Life Sciences Summit, held in Miami Florida. The event included the participation of the public, private and academic sectors from around the world.

For the second consecutive year, this summit was a space aimed for examining and discussing major trends shaping both public and private health care in the region. The event brought together the different sectors of Latin America in order to reflecting upon the main challenges and opportunities for innovation, as well as for the healthcare and life sciences industries.

In the event talked about the challenges of development and financing of new vaccines, accurate diagnoses and treatments for both infectious diseases to chronic non-communicable diseases and the challenges that health faces in Latin America, ahead of a complex global economic outlook.

The main topics addressed at the summit included the challenges for developing and financing of new vaccines; accurate diagnoses and treatments for both infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases; and the challenges confronted by the health sector in Latin America, facing a complex global economic scene.

In this regard, Dr. Tapia-Conyer participated with Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the panel: ‘Re-Energizing Healthcare in Latin America – Next Frontiers for Healthcare Reform and Innovation.’

Moderated by Dr. Mitchell Morris, Leader of Global Life Sciences & Health Care Industry at Deloitte, the panelists discuss the impact of the current global economic situation on health care and innovation in Latin America. They also analyzed demographic and epidemiological trends in the region, the challenges posed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the learnings from Latin America healthcare reforms and experiences for other countries.

Dr. Roberto Tapia-Conyer emphasized the importance of investing resources in key areas to improve health care. He listed those crucial areas as follows: defining and quantifying the population in which we want to influence; ensuring continuing healthcare and transcending the physical spaces of health services; having a single information system that can be accessed from any care level in real time; measuring impact with effective indicators; generating non-financial incentives, based on the personnel’s performance; promoting adequate leadership profiles for public health; and finally, promoting innovation to use the enormous potential of scientific knowledge generated by new disciplines, such as genomics, as well as technological innovations available in other parts of the world. Dr. Tapia-Conyer explained that all the above areas should be directed towards to a concept that today is possible: personalized public health. This concept keeps the approach of covering populations, but at the same time individuals can be intervened according their own specific health risk.

“The trend in the world is to generate reforms directed to have a Universal Health System. By joining to this trend, for real and not only on paper, represents an opportunity for change. We must take the necessary steps so the health system works verifiably “, Dr. Tapia-Conyer said.

In the event also included the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Health of Mexico, representatives of the global pharmaceutical industry, universities in the United States and various officials of the Financial Times.

About Carlos Slim Foundation

Created in 1986, with high impact programs focused on the most vulnerable populations, Carlos Slim Foundation has benefited millions of people. With a high sense of social responsibility, efficiency and opportunity, the Foundation develops programs in education, employment, health, nutrition, justice, culture, human development, support in natural disasters, economic development, protection and conservation of the environment, among others. These programs contribute to improve the quality of life of people of all ages, promote the formation of human capital and create opportunities that foster the integral development of individuals and their communities.